100th post... Life Moment - Moving our son to college...

WOW!  It still feels like I just started this "girlfriend" journey and all of a sudden I'm writing my 100th post!  Last week, the day after our century ride, we drove for 10+ hours to take our son, Chris, to Arizona for college.  YEP, we now have a LUMBERJACK in the family! :-)  We planned to spend a few days with Chris in Sedona, Arizona before moving him to Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the three of us had a wonderful time!  it was probably the best bonding time that we have had with Chris in a loooooooong time... no deadlines... no stress... no football, basketball, swim, mountain bike or golf practices/fundraising/games... no fighting with siblings... just the three of us... and it was AWESOME!

We stayed at the Los Abrigados Resort and Spa and LOVED it!  Sedona... OH... MY... GOSH... this place is BEAUTIFUL!  The red rocks, the community that was built to "blend in" to the natural landscape, the art sculptures that are displayed everywhere... WOW!  For now I am going to leave you with a few photos of our time with Chris and the day we moved him onto campus... more on Sedona in the next post when we spent several days... just the two of us... being eachother's girlfriend and boyfriend... ;-)  Enjoy.


There are sculptures EVERYWHERE... this donkey was

made of wire... sooo cool!

Jeff in the "ROCK-ing Chair" in the Sculpture Garden...
That is our balcony behind Jeff...

  

Chris and me at the Chapel of the Holy Cross.  Look below for a photo
of the BEAUTIFUL church built into the red rocks...



AWE - MAZ - ING!  Great photo, Jeff!



Up at the Airport Road sunset lookout... WOW!



Us at sunset... thunderclouds coming in
(again)... hot... humid... and WONDERFUL!

 

WELCOME to campus!



This is the view from Chris' dorm room... AWESOME!  Although it
was BLAZING hot while we were there, this will all soon be covered in snow!



Our new favorite Flagstaff hangout... The Flagstaff Brewery, downtown...
GREAT food, hand brewed beer, ping pong and casual!



Chris' new home... wonder how long it will look so clean...? ;-)



Time to say "Good-bye"... for a few days, anyway...

Cool Breeze Century... WOOO HOOOO!

6AM... We look good, don't we...? :-)  Oh....  and I'm wearing my
FIRST jersey... I EARNED this one after 3 years!!! 
I didn't just BUY IT... I decided when I started riding that a jersey was
something to be EARNED by miles...

I... DID... IT!  103 miles in a single ride...

... I KILLED my training time... training was an average of 12 miles per hour...

... we were in the saddle for an average of 13.91 miles per hour...

... 7.25 hours in the saddle...

... 9.5 hours total day with rest stops, lunch break, Kardishian wedding, etc...



At the finish... crossing the start of the Century line...

 After training for this century for the past 3 years I can tell you this...

 

#1... BIG GIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING!!!



#2... It was as hard as I expected... It hurt and it was AWEWOME at the same time... and my training TOTALLY ROCKED!

#3... There is something to be said about an EXTREME athletic event like this.  Training is only HALF THE BATTLE!  So much of these events... these races... is MENTAL!  TRUSTING that you CAN DO IT!  PUTTING in the time on the road bike.  BELIEVING in yourself and those riding with you.  KNOW your equipment.  UNDERSTAND the road.  And more than ANYTHING... JUST... DO... IT!

I have lost almost 50 pounds since I did the 55 mile ride last year.  I still have 40 pounds to go...

... did that stop me from doing something that I SHOULDN'T be able to... HELL NO!  I got my butt on that bike... with my husband just a pedal stroke away... and I BECAME MY HUSBAND'S GIRLFRIEND! 

I am tearing up as I write this... you know what... we WOMEN... CAN... DO... ANYTHING!  To HELL with our lack of confidence... our low self esteeme... I'm SCARED TO DEATH of the bike... but I trained with my husband... I trained in the gym... and I DID IT! 

YEAH... He is THAT cute... :-)

Me, Dave and Jeff... the original Cool Breeze Crew (yes, it is
my first year, but those boys have been riding for decades!)

I've been waiting THREE YEARS FOR THIS DARN STICKER!

SET... YOUR... GOAL!

AND... DO IT!!!

Quick photos... ON VACATION!

We are in Sedona, Arizona... in a 2,500 foot valley between the BEAUTIFUL red rock mountains... which means that we don't have the best connectivity... AUGH!  I have SO MUCH to share with you about the century and our AWESOME trip, but for now, I have just a few quick minutes before our computer crashes again... so... let's quickly review my weight over the past few days...

... 201.8 last weeks weigh in..

... 203.4 the morning of the century... COME ON... I had to carbo-load and drink water to hydrate LIKE CRAZY the day before the ride!

... I started thinking how much I would lose after riding my bike for 103 miles... and as much as I wanted to be sure to be in ONE-derland, I had to drink an entire water bottle every hour and eat a MINIMUM of 300 calories each hour to be sure to finish the ride!

I will share our ride story next, but when I got back to our place after the century, I weighed..

... 200.0!  SERIOUSLY... everyone there told me to go to the bathroom again or something, but it just wasn't to be...

... and the next morning, I was at 201.0...

200.2 pounds



202.8 pounds



... TODAY, after another day of leg cramps and downing tons of water, I was at 200.2!  AUGHHHHHH!  But that is OK... I am now 50 pounds down from this time last year... 36.8 pounds since I started this blog in January... and still losing!

We are on vacation and I will keep working out since my next triathlon is only 5 weeks away, but I am also celebrating with Jeff and Chris... more on that as the internet will allow...

Photos... kinda...

... 4 days until my FIRST CENTURY (100 mile bike ride)...
... 6 weeks until my 4th triathlon and training like crazy...
... shopping, packing, getting Chris ready to move to NAU in 7 days...
... MASSIVE "spring cleaning" for Mom and Dad to come stay at the house while we are in Arizona...
... 6 meetings in 4 days at the schools... PTA President at the elementary school and transitioning my volunteer responsibilities at the high school...
... getting Anna ready to start 2nd grade in 6 days...
... packing for our anniversary vacation in Sedona (after we move Chris in at NAU)...
... AND... I LOST 1.2 POUNDS and am LESS THAN 2 POUNDS AWAY FROM ONE-DERLAND!


Once again, nobody is around to take my photo, but I thought
THIS was a PRETTY DARN COOL shot! 

I might not make it to one-derland by Saturday morning as the century starts, but you know DARN WELL, that with only 1.6 pounds to go, I will TOTALLY be in one-derland after 100 miles on my bike!  LOOK OUT SEXY, HERE I COME!!!

"Let's Talk About Sex, Baby"... MUSIC DAY!

WARNING:  If you are one of my kids, one of my kids' friends, or my parents, this is FAIR WARNING that you might not want to read this post... yes, I'm going to talk about sex.

Jeff and I are currently celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary...yes, we started celebrating several weeks ago and will continue with our few private days in Sedona after we move Chris to NAU.  And, yes, when I say "celebrate," I mean we have been having a bunch of sex.  (I warned you Jess and Chris... I can hear you yelling, "EWWWWWWWWW" from here...) 

I wanted to write a little piece about sex because, even after 10 years of marriage, the "girlfriend" journey that I am on is changing our sex life!  Now, let me back up just a bit... this journey has focused on several issues... my weight... my confidence... flirting... playing...  an intentional focus on our marriage and our relationship and the fun that escapes when you are focused on the "daily grind."  (ha, ha, ha... I crack myself up... "daily grind"... ha!) 

Weight and Confidence... Do you have any idea how long it has been since we had sex with the lights on... oh, and "day sex"... ummmm, NO... because Jeff could see me.  I have done everything possible so that Jeff wouldn't see me naked... SHOOT... I didn't want to see myself naked and I sure didn't want to disappoint him by letting him see me, almost 100 pounds overweight!  SERIOUSLY... Jabba the Hut came to mind every time I saw myself as I stepped into the shower...

Now, I am by NO MEANS any type of sex expert, but I can tell you that the "sex climate" that we have had for the past many years has not been very conducive to hot, passionate, sex... we love each other, we "take care" of each other, but those early, honeymoon days were long gone.  (Yes, I can hear the majority of you jumping up and down in your chair saying, "That is SOOOO TOTALLY US!")  I know I'm preaching to the choir here, which is why I'm putting it all out there... THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT HAS TO CHANGE... and you can do it... and, (( insert happy giggle here )) you CAN HAVE FUN with it, too! 

So... back to the changes in our sex life.  I would have to say that the changes in our sex life are really the changes that have happened in me and with us... 

#1 - I have lost almost 50 pounds... and have 2 ways to look at it.  I can embrace my hard work and my shrinking figure and let Jeff play with it, OR, I can continue to hide because I still have 40 pounds to lose and am still not the totally hottie I want to be for Jeff.  ANSWER:  Life is WAY TOO SHORT to waste another second on low self esteem!  I have worked my butt off and it is time to play... and ohhhhhhh, the playing is GREAT!

#2 - When you are excited about sex, BOY OH BOY is HE excited about sex.  We all know this... this is not rocket science... but when we just let go and give into the moment... when we STOP THINKING about it and just let it happen... and let him see you... and leave the lights on (or at least start with several candles lit), it is amazing how much better and more passionate it will be.  You know he is always into it... but when you are on, too... it is MAGIC!

#3 - Love... your... husband.  It is really as simple as that.  Put on a silky nightgown... call him in the middle of the day and playfully tease him about what will be waiting for him when he gets home... arrange sleepovers for the kids IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...

Our husbands love us... and it is time that we change that "negative soundtrack" in our head and love ourselves, too... and get back to being our husband's girlfriend... because the benefits are AWESOME!  There is only ONE SONG that could be added to our "soundtrack" today... Salt n Pepa's, "Let's Talk About Sex."  It is over there on the right... make it a FANTASTIC day!

Getting closer and closer... PHOTO DAY!

... I am inching closer to my most recent goal... under 200 pounds by the time I ride my first century!  I'm 1/2 pound closer this week and have 2 weeks to lose 2.8 pounds... actually, to be in "ONE-derland," I have to be UNDER 200, so I have to be a minimum of 199.8... so I have 3.0 pounds to lose...


203.2 pounds



202.8 pounds



  

Boy, these photos are hard to take with the bright summer sun!  It is hard to make perfect comparisons because I totally realize that I can be in the same clothes, in the same pose and in the same location, but the lighting does make a big difference.  Let me just put your questions to rest about how I look these days... ummmmm... AWESOME!  (oh, did I say that...?)  Well, I FEEL awesome... Jeff thinks I look awesome...  I think that qualifies as a certified AWESOME! (tee, hee, hee!)

ONE-DERLAND... HERE I COME!

ODD side note... after our 56 mile training bike ride yesterday, I pulled something in my right knee... even with the fountain grass up against my leg, you can see the swelling in the photo... isn't that weird...?

Priceless...

 

My last triathlon (March)...
and 20 pounds ago! 



Completing a 56 mile training ride...

... over 2,000 feet of climbing...

... with (4) Category 5 climbs...

... and knowing you are ready

for your FIRST CENTURY (100 mile bike ride)...

PRICELESS!

13 days until the Cool Breeze Century

and I... AM... READY!

Weight Loss Myth #2... "I don't have time..."



Ever feel like time is literally being
sucked out of you...?

 I know... I know... this myth could very easily be #1...  How many times have you heard family or friends complain about their weight, but then add very quickly, "If I just had time to get to the gym..." or "I don't have time to sleep, much less work out..."  Realistically, you can probably come up with 10 reasons right now as to why you aren't exercising... no time, no money to join a gym, no babysitting for the kids, not confident to walk into a gym because all those "fit people" will look down at you (those "fit" people had to walk into a gym for the first time, too...)... I don't own any workout clothes that fit... my most current tennis shoes are 10 years old... and on and on and on... If your weight is a priority, then you WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN! 

My schedule right now is CRAZY... Yes, I know... when is our life NOT crazy...?  I'm not working since it is summer break, but I am taking care of a house of 5 (and the dog), training for my first century (100 mile bike ride) that is coming up in 2 WEEKS and my 4th triathlon in 8 weeks, getting things ready for our son to move to Arizona to attend NAU, cleaning EVERY INCH of our house since Mom and Dad will be here for a week taking care of Anna and Abby while we are in Arizona, writing, hosting "Camp Locher" for our God kids a few weeks this summer, back to school shopping, transitioning Athletic Booster, fundraising, and Grad Nite paperwork and stuff to new people and learning all about (and attending several meetings this summer) for my new position as PTA President at Anna's school... oh, and playing with and being my Husband's Girlfriend! 

YOUR life is YOUR choice!  What are YOUR priorities?  My family... my husband... my confidence... my health...  those are my priorities and I (FINALLY) have made choices to allow me to focus on MY priorities... did you see how many times I said "my" when listing MY priorities?  So many of us live in a confined tunnel... you only see your commitments, your job, the bills, the laundry, the dishes... and would NEVER DREAM to allow yourself to take the blinders off and even look at what you are missing.  The thing is, it is not only YOU that is missing out... it is your kids, your husband, your friends... they are missing out on you, too.

Take the blinders off.

Make a list of YOUR priorities.

Figure out how to fit those priorities into your world... I'm NOT suggesting that you walk away from all your responsibilities... come on, balance, people!  But, I'm sure there is an hour here or something you can give up or cut back on.  Several months ago, I made a choice to step away from the scrapbook industry... an industry that I have been very involved with for over 5 years.  As much as I loved designing, traveling, teaching, and having my work and articles published around the world, I needed that time to focus on my weight and my husband.  Make YOUR choices.

FIND... YOUR... TIME!  Because, SERIOUSLY... when MAMA ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy!

And check out this fantastic article by Leon F. Seltzer, Ph.D., "Not Enough Time?--All we have is time"

Make it a FANTASTIC day, everyone! :-)

OK, OK... I'm here with photos.. and letting my hair down... WOOO HOOOO!

Who knew with an 18 year old and a 21 year old in the house that it would be soooooo hard to get someone to stick around for 5 minutes to take a darn photo... ;-)  Well, the wait was worth it... I've gone down... 1.8 pounds... "ONE-derland" is sooooooo close... I just HAVE to make it before my century in 2 weeks...


205 pounds



203.2 POUNDS!!

























Quick post today... I have a "sexy" music day coming... and Weight Loss Myth #2!!!  I wonder how many of you will agree with my #2 myth... :-)  See you tomorrow!